Democratic National Convention Day 4: Hillary Clinton's Historic Night

Some notable speakers for the final night of the convention include: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Chloe Grace Moretz, Katy Perry and Ted Danson. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter will also address the convention.

PHILADELPHIA, PA — On the heels of vigorous endorsements from President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, nominee Hillary Clinton will take the stage on Thursday for the culmination of the Democratic National Convention.

The architects of the convention itself have thus far woven a narrative carefully designed to reflect several key talking points: the Democratic Party is the anti-bullying, inclusive, welcoming, compassionate party; Bernie Sanders and his supporters have had a strong influence on bringing the current platform to the left; Clinton is trustworthy and refuses to quit; unity behind her is essential in order to avoid a Donald Trump presidency.

Chelsea Clinton will join her mother in addressing the convention earlier in the prime-time slot. Gavel-in time is expected at 4:30 p.m. Thursday. The theme will be "Stronger Together" and will also feature Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, and speakers advocating a minimum wage hike. Khizr Khan, the father of an American Muslim war hero who died fighting for the United States after September 11, will address the convention as well.

Questions remain heading into Thursday, however. To what degree have Sanders' supporters been ameliorated by the DNC's concessions and compromises? Has the convention been successful in painting Clinton as trustworthy? Will the protests, which have raged outside the convention and throughout the city this week, begin to reflect any of the unity expressed by the speakers inside the arena?

Senate Women Take A Bow

7:28 p.m. Senators Elizabeth Warren, Claire McCaskill, Elizabeth Hillibrand, Barbara Mikulski and other Democratic women of the Senate spoke in turn about breaking the glass ceiling, their faith in Clinton and why Trump would be bad for women.

The Apparent Four-Day Long Evolution of the Party

7:22 p.m. At gavel-in time on Monday evening, when the convention officially began, the crowd in the arena booed at every mention of Hillary Clinton's name. Supporters fought back with cheers. At times, they seemed evenly matched.

By Thursday night, nearly every speaker is talking about Clinton, and nearly every mention of her name is greeted with cheers and no discernible boos. Whether this surface appearance of unity is truly reflective of the political state of mind of many Sanders supporters is not known. What is known is that Thursday night, and the week as a whole since 4:30 p.m. Monday, have been a cosmetic success for the Democratic Party.

Ready (But Waiting) for Hillary

7:17 p.m. Lines stretched around most of the concourse level as spectators attempt to gain access to their seats. Lines were up to 30 or 40 people deep in certain sections as spectators shuffled about impatiently or hurried to the front of the line, only to be directed to the back by security.

Themes of Camaraderie

6:10 p.m. The spirit of camaraderie and community continued as thematic elements in Thursday night speeches when U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois discussed surviving being wounded when she served in the military. Her Blackhawk helicopter was shot down, and she described her survival as miraculous. She noted how it wouldn't have been possible without the bravery of her fellow soldiers who cared for her.

Conversely, "in Donald Trump's America, you get knocked down, you stay down," she said.

#SeatFillerSitIn

6 p.m. In response to rumors that the DNC sent out texts to delegates asking them to fill in seats after Bernie Sanders supporters "walked out" during the week, the Sanders camp is urging supporters to stay in their seats and to remain quiet.

History Made

5:36 p.m. Sarah McBride became the first transgender American to ever address a national convention to the loudest cheers of the night. McBride previously interned in the White House. She came out as transgender four years ago and now works for the Human Rights Campaign.

Wisconsin Delegation Wearing Cheeseheads

5:31 p.m. The Wisconsin delegation stands out on the convention floor: many of them are wearing cheeseheads, in the iconic style of Green Bay Packers fans.

'Card Stunt' In Seats

5:28 p.m. Each seat inside the arena has a small blue poster taped to the armrest. A public announcement asked everyone not to remove the poster until the conclusion of Clinton's speech, when each card would be used to create a "card stunt." Each card is apparently unique to each seat.

Mayor Nutter Takes the Stage

5:21 p.m. Former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, whose administration helped bring the convention to the city, addressed the convention. "It's with tremendous pride that here in a city with so much history, I cast my ballot for our historic candidate, Hillary Clinton." Nutter added that he had known Clinton for decades and admired her for "getting stuff done," a simple slogan which he said as a mayor, he appreciated.

DNC Mocking Trump Between Speeches

5:13 p.m. On Monday night, Michelle Obama now famously described bullying with the following words: "When they go high, we go low." It was the motto, she said, which she urged her own daughters to embrace, and which she urged the nation to embrace in the wake of what many Democrats have called Donald Trump's hateful rhetoric. Early Thursday night, the DNC played brief mocking clips of Trump in between speeches. The clips are 5-10 seconds long and are called "A Message From Your Possible Future President." One showed Trump saying "bing bing, bong bong" to the tune of patriotic music. Another was a clip of Trump "on education," saying "I know all the best words."

Upper Levels of Wells Fargo Center Packed

4:57 p.m. Each day the convention has been progressively more crowded. Thursday evening the upper levels of the stadium were completely filled, except where otherwise reserved. On the concourse, delegates, journalists, staffers, and the rest of the crowd rush about in chaos, shoving in places and running for the entry ramps.

LBJ: Common Theme?

4:55 p.m. Former South Carolina State Rep. Bakari Sellers spoke of Lyndon Johnson's contributions to civil rights during one of the earliest speeches of the night. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act in 1964.

Spirits of Progressives Past

4:30 p.m. U.S. Rep. James Clyburn (SC) will invoke the spirits of progressives of the past in his speech Thursday night, according to prepared remarks released ahead of time by the DNC. The remarks in part read: "John F. Kennedy challenged us to reach for the moon, and we did. Lyndon Baines Johnson courageously tackled poverty and inequality in America; his achievements continue to lift our communities and sustain our citizens. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., pointed us to the mountaintop, and although we are not there yet, we are still climbing."

Clyburn is also expected to discuss Clinton's work to apply the 1965 Voting Rights Act after she graduated law school. Much of his speech works to connect Clinton's career to the on the ground, progressive movements of the past half-century.

What Will Hillary Say?

4:22 p.m. A common refrain on the first three days of the convention has gone something along the lines of: "The Hillary I know..." An diverse array of old friends of the Clinton family have championed her in their remarks throughout the week, focusing not only on her qualifications and capabilities, but on her trustworthiness. Speculation is rampant as to whether Clinton herself will address her "likability." Her husband called what he sees as a distortion of her character as the "cartoon version" on Tuesday night. "I have been struck — this is anecdotal, it's not statistically significant — in the last 48 hours of this convention how many Democrats, elected officials, I've had conversations with who said, 'I learned a lot of new things about her,' " David Plouffe, Barack Obama's 2008 campaign manager, told the Tampa Bay Times. Clinton could seek to build upon that perception in her speech Thursday night.

Final Night Speakers: Local Connection

4:16 p.m. Philadelphia and Pennsylvania will be well represented on the final night of the convention. Mayor Michael Nutter, Governor Tom Wolf, and Senate candidate Katie McGinty will each present remarks throughout the evening.

Shelter Outside Convention

4:04 p.m. As rain intensified in south Philadelphia Thursday afternoon, police urged protesters to take shelter under the I-95 southbound overpass.

Lightning Alert: Officials Urger Protesters To Take Shelter

3:18 p.m. The Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management urged those around Thomas Paine Plaza and across the city to immediately seek shelter Thursday afternoon due to the possible approach of lightning.

"You've Got A Friend": Carole King Rehearsals Fire Up Crowd

2:47 p.m. To general applause throughout the arena, musical rehearsals for the final night of the convention intensified as Carole King sang several refrains from "You've Got a Friend." "Ya'll gonna sing along with me tonight?" she said to the small crowd that had gathered on the convention floor, who sang the chorus along with her.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Ted Danson, Chloe Grace Moretz, Katy Perry Highlight Final Night Celebrity Appearances

2:16 p.m. The complete schedule for the final night of the convention has been released, and several big celebrity names are set to speak or perform. Ted Danson will introduce speakers, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will introduce a film on Muslim-Americans, Chloe Grace Moretz will deliver remarks in support of the military, and Katy Perry will give a musical performance.

After Dramatic Wednesday, Sen. Nina Turner Speaks

1:29 p.m. Ohio State Sen. Nina Turner spoke on Thursday just a day after she was joined by several celebrities for an impromptu press conference in the media tent adjacent to the Wells Fargo Center. Turner said that she was supposed to deliver one of the nominating speeches for Sanders on Tuesday, but for reasons which she did not disclose, she was removed from the bill in the 11th hour. On Wednesday, she was joined in the media tent by actors Rosario Dawson, Danny Glover, Susan Sarandon and Shailene Woodley for a press conference which co-organizers National Nurses United called "Why is the DNC Trying to Silence Nina Turner?"

On Thursday, Turner was joined by Dawson and Ben Jealous at the Philadelphia Convention Center in Center City to speak of racial and economic justice. "Do not give up, the revolution continues," she told supporters, according to a live Periscope feed of the event.

Lorenzo's Downsized

1:23 p.m. South Street's famous Lorenzo's and Sons Pizza, which serves massive slices that can barely fit on two paper plates stacked side by side, opened up in the Wells Fargo Center in 2015. However, the slices they're selling during the DNC are about half as large as their normal serving size.

Don't Rain On My Protest Parade

1:08 p.m. The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch for southeastern Pennsylvania and much of the surrounding area, including Philadelphia. It will be in effect from 2 p.m. on Thursday until 7 p.m. Friday evening. Torrential rain and thunderstorms caused the media pavilion in the Wells Fargo Center to be evacuated on Monday night, as hundreds of protesters rapidly dispersed from the streets outside the convention beneath the torrential downpour. There is a 15 percent chance of rain from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., a 35 percent chance until 5 p.m., and 65 percent by 6 p.m. Isolated thunderstorms are also possible beginning around 4 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.

More than 1,000 Demonstrate; 7 Arrested On Day 3

1:03 p.m. More than 1,000 people protested and seven were arrested on Day 3 of the convention, Philadelphia Police said. That included a group which broke through a perimeter fence on Broad Street and entered a restricted area. They were swiftly arrested. One woman was also burnt when she tried to put out a fire that had been lit, authorities said. They now face federal felony charges.

Day 4: In The Arena

12:05 p.m. The convention floor was largely empty early Thursday afternoon, and an anticipatory buzz hung in the air. The arena seemed to have remained in an electric state since the appearance of President Obama 13 hours before. Passersby around the concourse discussed the president's speech on their phones. The last time an event of this magnitude occurred in the Wells Fargo Center was Jun 9, 2010, when the Flyers faced the Blackhawks in the deciding Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

Additional Hacked DNC Voicemails Leaked

11:23 a.m. More information that had been hacked from the DNC by unknown actors earlier this week was released by WikiLeaks Wednesday. The leaks, which now include both voicemails and emails, demonstrate the party's coordinated effort to denigrate Bernie Sanders' campaign.

Amid swirling rumors that Russia was behind the leak, Donald Trump commented that he wished the same culprits would hack emails from Hillary Clinton's private server which had been deleted. Trump later said he was being sarcastic. The new voicemails released Wednesday do not contain the same damning implications as the information released earlier in the week. However, the news will only add kindling to the "Bernie or Bust" faction's conflagration, which has raged in protests across center city and south Philadelphia since the weekend.

JFK Plaza: The Calm Before the Storm?

11:06 a.m. JFK Plaza was eerily quiet on Thursday morning ahead of the final night of the DNC. A dozen police officers stood by their bikes along the steps of the plaza. The stage and accoutrements used by protesters throughout the week remained standing. Across the street, vendors and a few stray protesters had begun to coalesce. The shouts of children playing in the fountains in Dilworth Park echoed in City Hall's cavernous walkways. In the courtyard, boys wearing pirate hats hawked newspapers.

Catch up on Patch's live reporting from the DNC here:

Day 3 Coverage

Day 2 Coverage

Day 1 Coverage

Image courtesy Justin Heinze